Lost Before Birth
by IJustDrownedUrGoldfish
Summary: Terra and Aqua's Mark of Mastery Exam is interrupted by a mysterious stranger who takes the Masters' bending away! Now Terra, Aqua, and Ventus must travel to some Nickelodeon worlds to find the mysterious man and another boy that attacked Ventus. Will they find and defeat these enemies? Or will one of them unwillingly succumb to the darkness?
1. The Mysterious Stranger

All of the characters in this story are owned by Square Enix, Disney, or Nickelodeon unless otherwise stated. Also, some of the dialogue in the first few chapters is taken from Birth by Sleep so it may seem familiar.

**Lost Before Birth** Chapter 1: The Mysterious Stranger

_The Land of Departure_

One starry night, Ventus, Terra, and Aqua were in the clearing in front of their home. Terra and Aqua were training for their Mark of Mastery Exams tomorrow, and Ventus was cheering them on.

"Huh! Ha!" Terra grunted as he swung his Keyblade at his friend, Aqua. He wasn't actually hitting her, just practicing his combos. Aqua was practicing her magic, because that's what she was best at. She only aimed the Blizzard and Aero attacks at him; the others were too dangerous and might hurt Terra.

Ven noticed this and smiled. He knew that Aqua liked Terra- it was their little secret. Sometimes Ven dropped obvious hints in the conversation when they were all together until Aqua zapped him with lightning or something, which made his hair perpetually defy gravity. He had tried asking Terra if he liked her back. Unfortunately, he was the type who kept to himself, so instead he would say something like "Shouldn't you be training?" or "Why, do _you _like her?" Ventus eventually gave up trying to figure out Terra's emotions.

Ventus got bored watching the two friends fight, so he turned his attention up to the night sky. He could never get tired of staring at the stars. Once Terra had told him that each star was a different world. Ven couldn't imagine so many worlds existing at the same time, so instead he tried to guess which one was _his _home world. He had been in a deep sleep when he first arrived at The Land of Departure. When he awoke, Aqua had told him that a man named Master Xehanort had found and brought him here so that he could train under Master Eraqus. He couldn't remember any part of his life before that, but he kept having dreams about an island and a similar starry sky…

Just then, a star zoomed across the sky. More stars followed, and Ventus's face lit up. "A meteor shower! C'mon, we've gotta get a better view!" he called to his friends.

"Not now, Ven," Terra said, grunting as he blocked Aqua's Keyblade.

"Go ahead without us," Aqua added, getting ready to blast her friend with another Blizzard attack.

"Okay," Ven said, rushing to the Summit. He didn't get why his friends weren't as interested in astronomy as he was, but he knew they had to train. He did too, so that he could take the Mark of Mastery Exam in a few years.

He reached the cliff and sat down on a rock. The meteor shower was the best one Ventus had ever seen so far. He couldn't stop staring at the tiny but brilliant sparks in the sky.

"This world is impure."

Ventus spun around, eyeing the field until he spotted a hooded figure wearing a black coat standing by the path that led to the clearing. By looking at the person's stature, he immediately figured that he wasn't Terra, Aqua, or any of their Masters. "Who are you?" Ventus demanded.

"The people in this world need to be cleansed of their impurities," the strange man said, ignoring Ven's question.

"What are you talking about? Quit playing mind games with me!" Ventus said.

"You have spirit, yet you know so little," the stranger remarked.

"I'll show you how much I know," Ventus said, summoning his Keyblade.

"Rest, boy. This will all be over soon." The man pointed his hand at Ventus.

Ven was overtaken by a powerful need to sleep. "Wha-?" he managed to say, before dropping to the ground. The mysterious man was walking away just as Ventus closed his eyes.

~ o ~

"Ven, you hopeless sleepyhead!" Aqua said, standing over him. "You know, you should've at least brought a blanket."

"Huh?" Then he shot up, remembering. "That man! Where'd he go?!" Ven said, looking around. He couldn't have been sleeping that long, so maybe he was still-

"What man?" Terra said, looking serious.

"This guy in a black coat! He said something about 'cleansing people from impurities'. He was standing right there!" Ven pointed.

Aqua looked concerned. "We just came that way and we didn't see anybody."

"Maybe it was a dream," Terra said.

"It wasn't a dream! I know he was here! He was from another world!" Ventus insisted.

"Why don't we go back home? It's late. We can talk about this after the Exam tomorrow," Aqua suggested, heading up the slope to their castle-like house. Ventus hung his head, knowing that no one believed him. Terra saw that he was disappointed and playfully slapped him on the back.

"So, how was the meteor shower?" he asked his blonde friend.

"It was okay," Ven replied.

"I bet it was more than 'okay'. Wish I'd seen it."

"And miss quality alone time with Aqua?" Ven teased.

"Hey! We were just training! But, Ven…" started Terra.

He was interrupted by Aqua, who was already halfway across the clearing. "Hurry up, you guys! Master Eraqus is about to lock the doors!"

Ven started running. "C'mon, Terra!" he called.

Terra smiled and ran, easily passing Ventus. "Catch me if you can!"

Terra would just have to tell him what was on his mind some other time.

* * *

**A/N:** I just want to let you guys know that this story will not be updated for a few weeks because of exams, so let's all take a moment to thank exams for being a waste of time. Thanks to those who left reviews on the last story! I'd really appreciate some on this one ^.^

See you guys soon! :P

**~IJustDrownedUrGoldfish**


	2. The Journey Begins

A lot of what Eraqus says in this chapter is taken from the game.

* * *

**Lost Before Birth **Chapter 2: The Journey Begins

_The Land of Departure_

The next day, the three friends headed to the huge white room with the stained glass windows inside of the castle. Ventus was very alert on the way there, looking out for the man in black. Terra and Aqua, on the other hand, were a little bit nervous about the Exam but managed not to show it. They entered the room. Ven leaned against the wall, ready to see some action. Master Xehanort smiled at him. Ven had always thought that this Master was a little wonky in the head. Master Eraqus addressed Terra and Aqua.

"Today you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery. Not one but two of the Keyblade's chosen stand here as candidates, but this is neither a competition nor a battle for supremacy, not a test of wills, but a test of heart. Both of you may prevail, or neither. But I am sure our guest- Master Xehanort -did not travel all this way to see our youngest prospects in years fall short of the Mark."

Master Xehanort nodded. Ventus hoped that his speech was almost over, because it was really hot. Now he understood why Aqua didn't wear sleeves. The master continued.

"I trust you are ready," he asked his pupils.

"Yes," Terra and Aqua replied.

Master Eraqus pulled out his ancient-looking Keyblade. "Then let the examination begin." He summoned some orbs of light. Both Terra and Aqua pulled out their Keyblades, ready to destroy the orbs. Suddenly darkness overtook the balls of light. Everyone was surprised. The darkness had to nave come from someone…Ventus looked by the entrance and spotted the man from before. He was about to confront him when an orb covered in darkness blocked his path.

"Ven!" Terra and Aqua called. Ven pulled out his Keyblade just in time to fend it off. More were coming, though.

"Don't worry about me," he called to his friends. "You two focus on the Exam!"

Aqua was worried. "But Ven, you're in danger here! Go wait in your room," she said, being a little overprotective.

"No way!" Ven answered defiantly. "I've been looking forward to this-seeing you two become Masters. I'm not gonna miss it now!" Besides, Ven wouldn't let this opportunity slip away. He couldn't talk to the guy in the coat if he was stuck in his room.

"He can take care of himself. He's been out there training just as hard as us," Terra said, sticking up for his younger friend.

"Yeah!" agreed Ven.

Reluctantly, but mostly because she liked Terra, Aqua gave in. "Stay sharp, Ven."

After they defeated the orbs, Ventus looked around for the mysterious man. He was nowhere to be seen. No one else had noticed him.

Terra and Aqua stood in front of Master Eraqus once again.

"That was unexpected…" he said. "But one must keep a still heart even in the most trying of circumstances. It was an excellent test, one I chose to let unfold. Which brings us to our next trial- "

_"Ha ha ha!" _

Everyone turned their heads, looking for the source of the deep, throaty laugh. There, off to the side behind the Masters' chairs, stood the mysterious figure.

"Imbeciles. You cannot possibly make them masters of something they cannot control," he said to the Masters.

"What business do you have here? Were you the one who contaminated the orbs with darkness?" said Master Xehanort.

"I do not use my powers for evil, unlike the rest of you."

Everyone was stunned. How could a stranger say something like that to the Masters? Ven saw the chance to prove himself.

"Hey! You're that guy from yes-!" Ven was suddenly frozen, his fist held in midair.

"Ven!" Aqua called, but then she couldn't move either.

"Aqua!" Terra tried to help her, but he was stopped against his will.

Master Eraqus was enraged. "How dare you use Stopga on these pupils? Let them free at once!"

"If you insist," said the man in a monotone. With a quick flick of his wrist, Ven, Aqua, and Terra were floating above the ground. He had used Zero Graviga on them. Master Eraqus and Xehanort pulled out their Keyblades. The first Master rushed forward to attack the man, who easily dodged his attacks. Master Xehanort joined him, but the man was too quick. Their pupils watched helplessly from the air. The man finally used Stopga on the two Masters.

"You two will be better off this way." The man raised his hand and placed his thumb on Master Eraqus' forehead.

"What are you doing?" yelled Terra.

"Stop!" cried Aqua.

"Leave him alone!" shouted Ven.

Master Eraqus' eyes widened in horror. Then he slouched to the ground, unconscious. The three friends tried to break free of the Zero Graviga spell, but it was no use. The man walked over to Master Xehanort, who was still being affected by the Stopga spell. He placed his thumb on the Master's forehead and then-

"Stop!"

A boy with a mask who looked to be about Ven's age rushed was wielding a Keyblade. Terra, Aqua, and Ven would've laughed at his Spiderman-looking unitard if they weren't in this dire situation.

"And who might you be?" The man addressed him as if he were a little kid.

"None of your business! Leave my Master alone!"

Aqua and Terra were shocked. _His Master? _Ven thought. None of them had ever seen this boy before. Maybe he was from another world?...

The strange boy lunged with his Keyblade. The man dodged and used Stopga on him. "This is just too easy." He stood in front of Master Xehanort. The strange boy suddenly vanished, but the man didn't notice. Ventus blinked. _Where'd he go?_

The boy reappeared right behind his opponent, who had started to turn around. "Too slow," said the boy, whacking the man with his weapon.

"Ugh!" he grunted. He faced the boy, who then started shivering and struggling. Then he started hitting himself with his Keyblade. "Why you hitting yourself?" the man asked tauntingly, laughing.

"He's controlling him!" Aqua said.

"No, duh!" said Terra. She ignored him.

"But with what?" said Ven, starting to fear the man. "You can't do that with magic."

The boy floated off to the side, his face contorted with the effort of breaking free. "I saw what you did," the man said to Master Xehanort. "Using your powers for evil, covering light with darkness."

"He's blaming him for changing the orbs!" realized Aqua.

"You don't say?!" said Terra sarcastically.

"Now's not the time for arguing! We need to figure out how to get out of here before he gets us next!" Ven said.

Master Xehanort fell to the floor after the stranger removed his hand. "Let this be a message for you to pass on," the man said as he faced them. Ven tried to get a better look at his face now that it was daytime, but all he saw was a white mask with a red circle in the middle of the forehead.

The man vanished into a dark portal. Everyone dropped to the ground. The boy knelt by Master Xehanort. The three friends ran to Master Eraqus' side. "He's still breathing," Terra noted.

Aqua looked at the other Master, who was still lying on the ground. "Is he alright?" she asked the boy.

"STAY AWAY!" he warned, brandishing his Keyblade.

"Hey, we don't know who you are, but we can help," Terra told him.

"Yeah. I could use Curaga on him…" Ventus said, moving closer.

"I said, _stay away!_" The boy pointed his Keyblade at Ventus and shot a ray of darkness at him.

"AAAAH!" Ven shouted as the impact pushed him through the air. He gasped as his back slammed into the wall and he fell to the ground.

"Ven!" His friends shouted. Aqua rushed over to him. Terra turned away from Ventus to face the boy. "You are so gonna pay for that!" he said, fury welling up inside of him. But surprisingly the boy was gone. So was Master Xehanort. Terra went to his friends. "Is he all right?" he asked worriedly.

"Mostly," said Aqua. "I used Cura on him, but he'll be in pain for a while."

Ven tried to get up, then winced and uttered something in French. "Hey, where did you learn that word?" Aqua asked, a little annoyed. Terra whistled suspiciously then changed the subject.

"We should seriously check on Master Eraqus again. He's been out cold for like, twenty minutes." The two friends walked over to him after Aqua made sure that Ven was as comfortable as he could be. Master Eraqus was just waking up. Terra and Aqua filled him in on what had happened while he was out. Aqua asked what the man had done to him.

"I don't know…" the Master said. "But I feel as if something is missing." He seemed to be alright otherwise, so he pulled out his Keyblade and tried to summon some light orbs. Nothing happened. He tried using magic. Nada.

"This can't be! I-I can't use magic!" Master Eraqus realized, looking grim.

"No! That can't be possible!" said Aqua.

"How could someone have that kind of power?" mused Terra.

"I don't know," said Master Eraqus again. He thought for a minute, then looked around the stained glass room. "Where is Ventus?"

"Over here," said Terra, leading them towards him. Ven was leaning against the wall with his hand over his heart. That was where the boy had struck him. His face was scrunched up in pain. Despite Aqua's efforts, it still hurt pretty badly.

"Master Eraqus! You're…alright," Ven said, struggling to get the words out.

"Yes, I am. But I am afraid I have lost my ability to use magic. This is grave news, and I don't know when I will get it back. What I I do know is this: That man is a threat to people everywhere. I want you three to go to other worlds, search for him, and put an end to his madness. The darkness looms closer than usual within these spaces, but your armor will protect you and I am sure that you will protect each other. Now go, and fulfill your duty."

Terra lifted Ven to carry him, since he was in too much pain to walk.

"Wait," Aqua said, worried. "We can't take Ven."

"Why not?" said Terra, totally carefree.

"He's hurt, and it's dangerous out there."

"What if the man in the coat or the Spiderman look-alike comes back?" Ven cut in. "You saw what they could do!"

"Who's Spiderman?" inquired the clueless Master.

"He's got a point. We can't just leave him here, said Terra.

"Take him with you," said Master Eraqus. "And don't worry about me. I will call my old friend Yen Sid and see what he can do about my magic." He started walking away.

"Master, wait! What about the Exam?" Aqua called.

"We will have to resume the Exam another time. There are more important things to worry about now. I wish you luck on your journey."

"Thank you, Master," Terra and Aqua said.

They walked outside into the clearing. Terra set Ven down so he could stand on his own. The three of them changed into their armor with a single push of a button they each had on their sleeves. Ven was still too weak to navigate his own Glider, so Terra started lifting him onto his vehicle.

"What are you doing?" Aqua asked him.

"Carrying Ven on my Glider…?"

"I don't want to sound rude, but…I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?" Terra asked, confused.

"No offense, but you drive a little _too _fast. Remember what happened with that Moogle? Now all we have are holograms of him. Or her. Or it…" Aqua said, confused about the Moogle's gender.

"Okay. Point taken." Terra passed Ven- who was now sleeping (he did that a lot) -over to Aqua. He couldn't help but notice how strong she was. He got onto his Glider before she could catch him staring.

"You'll be alright, Ven," Aqua whispered to her sleeping friend, hoping she was right.

Terra and Aqua tilted their Gliders up and zoomed off into the Lanes Between, in search of man in the mask.

* * *

**Can anyone guess what the first Nickelodeon world will be? Does anyone already know who the man in the mask is? If you don't, all will revealed in due time. ;)**

**Until the next chapter,**

**~IJustDrownedUrGoldfish**


	3. A Hint of Darkness

**To makoto hagane: Great guess, but LoK is coming up later. **

**Also, I'm still trying to get this PM thing down so until then I'll answer replies here. Sorry.**

**Also also, I recommend that you guys watch some SpongeBob before reading this chapter ;)**

* * *

**Lost Before Birth **Chapter 3: A Hint of Darkness/Who Lives in a Pineapple Under the Sea?

_Bikini Bottom_

The three friends landed on a small island in the middle of the ocean. The island was pretty small and contained a single palm tree, so they had to huddle close together. All of them changed out of their armor. Ven was now wide awake. He looked out at the sea, listening to the sound of the waves that was so familiar to him.

"Hey…This is a beach, right?" he asked his friends.

"Yeah," said Aqua. "Maybe you used to live on an island, Ven."

"Probably. I've been to one in my dreams…" Ventus said, thinking.

Just then, a giant spiky, sea urchin-looking creature flew out of the water. It was dark purple and had a strange red and black insignia in between some spikes. There was darkness radiating from it. The monster floated on the surface for a few seconds, then started spinning rapidly to propel itself through the water. It dived beneath the waves and out of sight.

"Unversed!' exclaimed Terra.

"Un-what?" said Ven. _Does the name have to do with poetry or something?_

"Unversed. Master Eraqus informed us about them. They are monsters that feed off of negative energy. He doesn't know where they came from, but they can appear anywhere. We can expect to run into them a lot."

Aqua and Ventus stood speechless. Did Terra just say four full sentences at one time? A whopping 37 words?! _Must be a new record, _Ven thought. They all just stood there for second, until Aqua remembered the Unversed. "Come on, we have to go after that thing!"

"But how?" Ven asked. "We can't breathe underwater."

"You're right, although we can't stay here, either. There might be someone in trouble."

"I highly doubt that there are people down there," Terra said, not so sure about this idea.

"Every world is different. Master Eraqus once said that he's been to a world where mushrooms make you grow. Besides, we can't just let that monster run free."

"Aqua's right. And who knows? Maybe we'll find the guy in the mask!" said Ven. Terra agreed.

They all held hands with Ven in the middle and stood at the edge of the island.

"We all jump on three," said Aqua. "One…"

"Two…"

"Three!"

They held their breaths and jumped. Something strange started happening once they were in the water, and Aqua was the first to notice. Her legs were stuck together. _Wait a second, are they turning blue?! And is that a TAIL?! _She gasped then put a hand over her mouth, realizing what she had done. Her heart was pounding, but she wasn't struggling for air. She could breathe underwater! She looked down at herself again. She had a blue tail which was the same color of her hair. She still had on her shirt and sleeves, although the armor button was deactivated.

She looked over at her friends, who had gone through the same transformation. Ven and Terra's tails were green and orange, respectively. Although…they weren't wearing shirts. Aqua couldn't stop staring at Terra. He was so muscular…

Ven put his hands around his neck, his face going purple.

"Ven, you can breathe!" Aqua told him, inhaling deeply for a visual example.

A flurry of bubbles left Ven's mouth as he swallowed a huge gulp of water.

"Isn't this so cool? We're mermaids!" Aqua commented, spinning around.

"Actually, you're the only mermaid. I prefer the term mer_man,_" Ven said, pushing out his chest.

Aqua laughed. "Sure, whatever rocks your boat. Now let's look around. Maybe we can ask someone if they've seen the Unversed."

~ o ~

After swimming for a few moments, they came across what looked like a see-through building that resembled a lobster trap. In front of the establishment was a clam propped up on a stick. The letters on the clam said: "The Krusty Krab".

"Sounds like a pub," remarked Terra.

Ven's face lit up. "Or…maybe it's a family-friendly restaurant!" he said, convincing them to go in. The Moogle had told him all kinds of stories about pubs (well, before the tragic incident with Terra, anyways). He wanted to see what one was like from the inside. He swam down to the door, leaving Terra and Aqua with no choice but to follow.

Inside the glass doors was a single room with wood panels for a floor. Red and yellow tables that looked like a ship's steering wheel were set up next to barrels that served as chairs. At the far side of the room was a boat with a cash register inside of it, a menu with outrageous prices hanging from the ceiling, and two doors on either side of the boat.

_Aw man, I was right. It _is _just a restaurant, _Ven thought, disappointed. He wasn't noticed by a group of friends at the cash register: a sponge, a sea star, a crab, a squid, and a…squirrel. With a helmet on. They were having a heated discussion.

"I'll beat up that vermin so bad he'll be like road kill that was run over by a high-speedin' trucker!" said the squirrel, who was a female with a southern accent.

"But if you don't come back, I'll have one less payin' customer!" said the crab.

"I am a master of karate! In fact, that's how I got this here badge!" the squirrel said, pointing to a picture of acorns on her suit.

"I thought that meant you were nuts!" said the star. The squid started laughing.

The yellow sponge spoke up: "Sandy, what if you get hurt?"

"Don't worry, Spongebob. Remember when we fought that pink bull worm? Everything was okay in the end. Now I gotta go and stop that thing before it gets outta control like a fire on a barbecue!" Sandy rushed past Ven, Aqua, and Terra.

The crab disappeared through one of the doors, muttering something about money. Aqua swam up to the squid who was manning the cash register.

He sighed, looking like he hated his life. "Welcome to the Krusty Krab, how may I help you?" he asked her in a monotone.

"Actually, we're looking for someone. "Have you seen a man in a black coat with a mask on his face?"

"No," the squid answered bluntly.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but may I ask you another question?" Aqua tried.

"No."

"Oh Squidward, you know that's not how we treat our customers!" said the sponge, walking over to them. "Hi, I'm Spongebob! That's my best friend Patrick, and this is our friend Squidward!" He hugged the squid.

"Get off of me! I'm going on break," Squidward said as he pushed the sponge off and stepped out of the boat. As he walked away he muttered something about working with idiots.

"Hi SpongeBob, I'm Ven, and this is Terra and Aqua," Ven said, introducing themselves.

"Look guys, I know we've just met and all, and I'd really love to stay and chat, but I've gotta go help Sandy!" SpongeBob told them.

"Wait a sec, she wasn't talking about going after that giant sea urchin, was she?" Ven asked.

"No, she was talking about that big spiky thing that's rolling around town," said Patrick, who had somehow gotten mustard all over his head. SpongeBob did a face-palm.

The crab came out of his room and faced SpongBob. "Yer not goin' anywhere!" he said. "I need you to fry them Krabby patties for me payin' customers!"

"But Mr. Krabs-"

"No buts! Now get yer butt back to work!" Mr. Krabs went back to counting money.

Ven tried to cheer SpongeBob up. "Don't worry. We'll go check on your friend for you. Right, guys?" Aqua and Terra nodded.

SpongeBob's face lit up. "Really? Thank you so much!"

"Not a problem," said Terra, finally speaking after about 15 minutes of silence.

"Well then, let's go!" said Aqua, swimming outside.

~ o ~

They followed the tracks of the Unversed until they reached the Goo Lagoon. "how can they have water underwater?" Aqua thought aloud.

"MY LEG!"

The three of them looked around for the source of the yell, but saw Sandy and the Unversed in combat on the beach instead. The squirrel had used some karate moves to subdue the monster, but that didn't do much good, so she jumped back. Sandy's opponent started spinning right towards her, and she tried to run away from the attack. The Unversed was faster. Just when it seemed like she was about to get crushed, Terra jumped in between them and blocked the sea urchin's spikes with his Keyblade. It slowed to a stop.

"Stand back. We're here to help!" he told Sandy. She nodded and went somewhere safe.

Terra, Aqua, and Ven started to attack the purple monster, which seemed stunned after Terra's block. After they got in a few combos, the creature dove underground, hiding from sight. The Keyblade wielders looked around and tried to guess where it would pop up next.

Suddenly Ven was knocked into the air by the sea urchin. His tail was hurting, but he used Aerial Recovery (which apparently works underwater too) to keep himself from falling. Aqua used Blizzard to freeze the Unversed. They all hit it multiple times, causing the ice to eventually fall off. When it seemed like the Unversed was too weak to take another hit, Aqua yelled "Now!"

"Let's finish this together!" Ven shouted as they all rushed at the Unversed with their Keyblades. They brought down their weapons at the same time, causing the Unversed to fade and its darkness to float away.

"That wasn't too bad," Terra said.

"Yeah, that Spike Ball was a piece of cake!" said Ven. Terra and Aqua looked at their friend quizzically. "What? I thought that maybe we should start naming the Unversed since there are different types of them."

The ground started to shake violently. The three friends looked up as a huge figure grew and loomed over them. It was a giant, green…Plankton. And he was radiating with darkness.

"That's Mr. Krab's archnemesis, Plankton!" Sandy yelled from behind a cabana. "He's supposed to be much smaller…I guess the monster must've had something to do with it! You have to stop him!"

"No one can stop me!" boomed Plankton. "Once I get my hands on that Krabby Patty formula, I will take over the world!"

Terra rushed to attack his feet, since that was the only part of him they could reach. Plankton lifted his foot and kicked Terra, sending him sprawling backwards a few feet. The brown-haired boy did not get up from the ground.

"Terra!" Ven and Aqua yelled. Ven felt fury rising up inside him. He ran toward Plankton, who was already picking Aqua up off the ground. He was squeezing her in his palm so tight she couldn't move.

"Let her go!" Ven yelled, showing off his Keyblade.

Plankton smiled evilly. "If you wish." He loosened his hand, letting Aqua fall to the ground with a thud. She coughed, struggling to breathe.

"I've had enough of you!" Ven shouted, literally glowing with rage. A small amount of darkness was surrounding him, but he was so upset he didn't notice.

"Ven?" Aqua said weakly as she watched him charge at the green giant. _How could he have darkness inside of him?_

~ o ~

Terra opened his eyes to see Ven fighting off Plankton all by himself. Something was different about him though…Terra's eyes opened even wider with shock. _How can he be surrounded with darkness? Master Eraqus said his heart was full of light!_

Terra looked to his right and saw Aqua on the ground, out cold. Ven seemed like he was doing alright, so he rushed over to Aqua. He just _had _to help her first. He used Curaga on her and she opened her eyes. He was filled with relief.

"Terra?"

"C'mon, we have to help Ven," he said, helping her up.

They attacked Plankton while swimming on either side of Ven, who didn't even notice them. Ven was twice as powerful with the darkness coursing through his veins, and Plankton never got a chance to hit them back.

Their enemy finally fell to the ground, reducing to his normal size.

"You have defeated me this time, but I will get that Krabby-AAAH!" The two-inch Plankton screamed as Ven passed out and fell on top of him.

"We need to take him to Master Eraqus," said Terra, lifting his friend. "We can't let the darkness control him."

"Right," said Aqua, worried.

As they were about to swim off, Sandy ran up to them. "Wait! I just want to thank y'all forvhelping me out back there. Is there anything I can do for you fellas?"

"No, we're looking for someone. He has on a mask and is wearing a black coat. He is a threat and we are trying to track him down. Have you seen him?" Aqua asked her.

"I haven't seen anyone by the looks of him."

Aqua was disappointed. "Oh. Well, thanks anyway."

"Sure thing. Now I gotta go tell SpongeBob I'm alright. He's probably as worried as a flock of sheep at the barber shop. Oh yeah, and if you ever need to talk to him, just stop by the Krusty Krab or his house. It's a pineapple, you can't miss it."

"Thank you," Terra and Aqua said.

They swam up to the surface, locating the little island in no time at all. As they climbed onto the shore, their tails were replaced with legs and all of their clothes were intact. Terra and Aqua summoned their armor, and then summoned Ven's own for him.

Earthshaker and Rainfall were thrown into the air, transforming into Keyblade Gliders. Terra and Aqua zoomed off into the sky with Ventus in tow. The most prominent thought in Aqua's head was- _Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?_

* * *

**Until the next chapter is up, I'll have a poll asking which SpongeBob character you guys would wanna be, just to keep you occupied. If you have anything to say about this chapter, reviews are greatly appreciated.**

**~IJustDrownedUrGoldfish**


	4. An Evil Desire

**Lost Before Birth **Chapter 4: An Evil Desire

_The Keyblade Graveyard _

Master Xehanort and the boy in the red, black, and navy blue Spiderman-looking outfit were standing on a barren plain filled with lifeless Keyblades. They had already realized that the old man himself couldn't use magic anymore and were contemplating what to do next. "This wasn't part of the plan," Xehanort mused.

"So what now?" the boy asked his master, who had his back to him.

"We cannot continue our quest together, Vanitas. Without my powers I have no control over anything." The Master turned to face him. "But you-you alone with Ventus can forge the X-Blade and summon Kingdom Hearts. Then, the Keyblade War will rage and darkness will reign supreme!"

Vanitas looked at Master Xehanort through his mask. "What about the other two?"

"You may dispose of them. They will have no purpose in the new era. Now go and bring the boy. I want that X-Blade forged as soon as possible!"

Vanitas smirked and summoned his red and black Keyblade Glider. It was slightly similar to Ven's but had sharper edges. _This is going to be fun, _he thought, soaring away from the place thousands of Keyblade wielders had fought for what would soon be his.

* * *

**This will most likely be the shortest chapter in the whole story.**

**Seems like Xehanort still wants that X-Blade...hmm... -.-**


	5. Separation

**Lost Before Birth** Chapter 5: Separation

_The Land of Departure_

It was nighttime when the three friends landed in the clearing that was in front of the castle. Tearra and Aqua un-summoned their armor and took Ven's mask off for him. Terra used Magnera on his unconscious friend so that he could float and follow them while they walked.

Master Eraqus wasn't inside, so Aqua suggested that they look for him outdoors. Terra placed Ven in his room first, a little freaked out by the scary-looking mask on his desk. _Why does he even have that? _He thought as he headed outside with Aqua.

They found Master Eraqus standing in the middle of the Summit, staring up at the stars in the night sky. He turned to face his two pupils. "Back already?"

"Master Eraqus," they said, greeting him. Terra spoke up first.

"We have yet to find the mysterious man, the young boy, and Master Xehanort."

"If so, then why are you two back so early? Did something happen? Where is Ventus?" asked their Master, getting worried.

"Ven is in his room," Aqua answered. "But I fear that he cannot come with us anymore, Master."

"And why is that?" he inquired curiously.

"While we were battling someone who was overtaken by darkness, Ven unleashed darkness himself. It wasn't strong, but we don't want to take any chances," Aqua said.

Master Eraqus was surprised. He looked up at the stars again, remembering something. "When that boy first came here, his heart was filled with pure light, as if he was a newborn. I don't know how any amount of darkness could have entered him."

"It must have been that boy!" said Terra suddenly, upset. "He hit Ven with a blast of darkness right before he left."

Master Eraqus thought it over. "Yes, I believe you are right, Terra. That boy somehow caused darkness to infiltrate Ven's heart," said the Master.

"Does this mean Ven will have darkness inside of him forever?" Aqua asked, though she was a little afraid to know the answer.

"No, there is a way to get it out, although it might damage his heart."

Terra crossed his arms while Aqua hung her head in despair. Master Eraqus looked at both of them.

"Right now, there more pressing issues to worry about. Master Yen Sid has not been able to restore my magic, which means that the same can probably be said of whoever else was affected by the ma's strange powers. You two must continue to look for him, but be careful also. I care for all of you like you are my children. I cannot stand to see any of you falling prey to the darkness. On the other hand, I will keep Ventus safe here until you return."

"We won't let you down, Master," Terra told him.

"Thank you for watching Ven. We'll see you both soon," Aqua added.

After activating their armor, Terra and Aqua turned their Keyblades into Keyblade Gliders. They waved to their Master and drove off to the next world amidst millions of stars.

* * *

**Sorry for not mentioning it but you may have noticed before; some of the characters are a little OOC in this story.**

**I know this chapter was also short but the ones after this should be longer. The next few will be focused on Ven, and then they will switch back and forth between him and Aqua and Terra.**

**To KattyBatty: yup, guess I made it kinda obvious, didn't I? ;) thanks for the reviews!**


	6. Unchangeable Fate

**An original world and two OC's are in this chapter.**

* * *

**Lost Before Birth** Chapter 6: Unchangeable Fate

_Windward Island- Seven Years Ago_

It was a hot day on the tropical island where young eight-year-old Ventus lived. His world consisted of a small town surrounded completely by beaches. **(A/N Think of a mix between Twilight Town and Destiny Islands). **Ventus and his two older friends were playing on the shore. One was a ten-year old boy, Kasai. He was wearing a red flannel vest with khaki cargo pants, red and black sandals, and had checkered bracelets on each wrist. His twin sister Mizu had on a blue halter top, a pair of short white pants, blue and black sneakers, a checkered band around her upper left arm, and a blue piece of fabric the length of a cast on her lower right arm.

Aside from their violet eyes, the twins looked nothing alike. Kasai had flaming orange hair and always wore a chain with a fire pendant. Mizu had flowing dark blue hair that looked like a waterfall and she always wore a necklace with a wave pendant.

Kasai and Mizu were play-fighting on the sand with real Keyblades. Ventus was looking on, holding a wooden sword of his own.

"I wanna play too!" said Ven.

"We already told you no before, Ven. It's too dangerous for you," Mizu told him.

"Yeah, and you can't wield a Keyblade anyways," Kasai mentioned. "We'll all do something fun later, I promise."

Ven sulked and walked away farther down the shore. Kasai made plenty of promises, but their Keyblade training always got in the way. Ven stopped in front of the cave where he, Kasai, and Mizu would watch the clouds in the sky before the tide came in. He walked inside, his hand skimming the wall filled with pictures that the three of them carved into the smooth rock for fun. Ven stopped at a picture that he drew of his own imaginary Keyblade. It was a dull metal color and looked heavy, but it would be as swift as the wind.

As Ventus was kneeling in front of his design, a man appeared in the entrance of the cave. He spoke to Ven in a gravelly voice. "Young boy, you look sorrowful. Are you lost?"

Ven stood and looked at the figure in the brown cloak, wondering who he was. "No. My friends are outside on the beach," he answered.

"The redheaded boy and the girl with the blue hair?" Ventus nodded.

I saw them practicing with their Keyblades. Why aren't you training with them, then?" the man inquired.

The young boy hung his head. "I don't have my own Keyblade," he said gloomily.

"Ah, I see. Well, it is such a shame that you cannot use its power." He placed his sleeve-covered hand in front of him, and suddenly a Keyblade appeared in his hand. It was silver and had intricate designs.

Ven's eyes widened in wonder. "You have one, too?!" he said, stepping closer to get a better look.

"Indeed. I can give you the ability to wield one, but only if you do me a favor," he said to Ven.

The boy couldn't believe his ears as he eyed the shiny Keyblade. "Really? What's the favor?"

"I will inform you of it later. But when the time comes you mustn't say no, or else you and your loved ones will suffer the consequences. Understood?"

Poor Ven was too young to understand, but he nodded anyway, eager for a chance to wield a Keyblade. The man motioned for the boy to stand in front of him and he knelt down to his level. "In your hand, take this key," the man instructed. Ven did as he was told eagerly. "So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. Now, if the Keyblade chose you, it will remain in your hand."

The man let go. The Keyblade did not vanish until he summoned it back.

Ven smiled. "I'm gonna have my own Keyblade! Now I can finally play with my friends! Thank you! I promise I'll repay you!" he exclaimed excitedly, running out of the cave. "Kasai! Mizu! Guess what?" he called.

The old man grinned evilly as he summoned a portal of darkness. Ven's fate was sealed.

* * *

**Poor Ven, he didn't know what was coming to him :( Kasai kinda looks like a mix between Hayner and Lea, but his hair isn't as straight as Lea's. Mizu doesn't really look like anybody in KH. Sorry for giving your imagination a workout ^.^**

**So my Internet's been down for a few weeks; that's why this is pretty late. It might crash again so please don't kill me if I disappear. **

**I think Xehanort and Vanitas are secretly messing with my laptop...**


	7. Ven's Worst Nightmare

**MoonLitSparklesofTwilight: I thought Windward Island would be better for Ven since his name means "wind" in Latin and all. But honestly I didn't come up with it, I saw Windward on a map and added Island to the end :3**

* * *

**Lost Before Birth **Chapter 7: Ven's Worst Nightmare

_The Land of Departure_

Ventus woke up in his bed, covering his eyes from the sunlight streaming in through the window. _Another strange dream…_he thought. The details of it were really fuzzy, but he remembered being on an island with two other people. _Terra and Aqua? _He just couldn't remember.

He shot up to a sitting position when he realized where he was. _Why am I back in my room? How did I get here? _He was wondering where his friends were when Master Eraqus appeared in the doorway.

"Good morning Ventus. Have you slept well?" he asked his pupil.

"Um…kinda. Master, where's Terra and Aqua? Weren't we out in a different world?" Ven asked, confused.

Master Eraqus sighed. "You see, Ventus, quite recently you have displayed a small amount of darkness. Even though you were using that power for good at the time, you were not able to control your actions."

Ven was shocked. "I…What?" A memory of Terra and Aqua on the ground in Bikini Bottom flashed through his head. "But, Terra and Aqua are okay, right? I mean, I didn't hurt them, did I?"

"No, you haven't. In fact, they brought you here in fear that the darkness in your heart would progress further in other worlds. They've departed last night," said the Master.

"They…They left me here?" Ven said with disbelief.

"I know this is a lot for you to take in. We can discuss it over breakfast. Yen Sid taught me how to make eggs and bacon," Master Eraqus said cheerfully, heading downstairs.

Ven remembered something Aqua had told him a few years ago when he first came to the Land of Departure: _"The darkness is a terrible thing, Ven. Always resist it."_

He glanced out of his window which showed a perfect view of the courtyard below. He gasped when he saw the figure standing there. "The boy with the mask!" he said aloud.

The boy looked directly up at Ven as if he had heard him. The blonde moved back from the window and headed downstairs. Master Eraqus would probably be setting up breakfast down at the Summit, so he wouldn't have seen the boy.

As Ventus ran down the front stairs the boy turned around to face him. "So, you decided to come back, huh?" Ven said angrily. The boy stayed silent. "Who are you, anyway?" Ven demanded.

The boy reached up and took off his mask, revealing spiky black hair and amber yellow eyes. "My name is Vanitas," he said smugly. "But you can call me 'Your Worst Nightmare'."

Vanitas summoned his Keyblade and lunged at Ven, who dodged just in time. He tried to attack Vanitas, but the boy disappeared and then reappeared behind him, firing blasts of darkness at him. Ven blocked and made a counterattack with his Keyblade, but it didn't seem to affect his opponent at all. Vanitas suddenly froze as Ven was hitting him. "Huh?" Ven wondered, looking around.

"Too slow," Vanitas replied, disappearing again and knocking him down from behind.

"Ah!" Ven grunted. He rolled over and propped himself up on his elbows, trying to stand up. He was stopped by Vanitas' Keyblade, which was pointed straight at his chest.

"Hmph. Pathetic," Vanitas said to him. His Keyblade started to glow with darkness. "How'd a wimp like you even get a Keyblade?"

Ven was sick of this kid. "Grrr…SHUT UP!" Ven shot a blast of darkness out of his hand and it hit Vanitas in the stomach, sending him back a few feet. _I really do have the power of darkness…_Ven thought, standing up.

"No…Is this possible?..." Vanitas murmured.

"You still want a piece of me?" Ven challenged.

"Chillax, kid. Your feeble show of darkness proves that you need some more incentive to use it." A thought formed in the evil boy's head. "Maybe I should see if your _friends _are strong enough to survive what's coming to them." He summoned a portal of darkness.

"What are you talking about?" Hey, wait!"

Vanitas disappeared into the portal. Ventus, worried about Terra and Aqua, ran in after him.

~ o ~

"Ventus, breakfast is ready!" Master Eraqus called from the Summit, waiting for his pupil to join him. "Ventus?" The boy didn't reply.

_Maybe he doesn't like eggs…_the clueless Master thought.

* * *

**Eraqus calling Ven is like that time Sora's mom called him for dinner in KH1.**

**Forgot to mention this in the last chapter but Kasai and Mizu mean "fire" and "water" in Japanese. At least, according to Google translate anyway. Sorry if it's wrong :3**

**The Nick worlds are back in the coming chapters! ^.^ **

**And also, school is starting next week so there may be more time in between chapters. :/**


	8. In 5, 4, 3, 2

**Warning: 358/2 Days ending spoiler in this chapter. Though since just about everyone knows what happened, it probably won't spoil much.**

* * *

**Lost Before Birth **Chapter 8: In 5, 4, 3, 2…

_Seattle _

Ventus exited the portal and looked around. Vanitas was gone. Ven then realized that he was in some sort of huge metal box. _Did that guy trap me in here? _He wondered.

To make things worse, the box seemed to be moving upwards. Ven panicked. He didn't know what to do. One of the walls looked like a sliding door, but there were no handles or keyholes. Then Ven eyed the buttons next to the door. Each one had a number on it. He pondered about pressing one when the box suddenly stopped moving. There was a loud _ding! _sound and the doors slid open.

Ven cautiously stepped out of the metal container and took in his surroundings. He was in a room filled with random stuff: beanbag chairs, a stoplight, a pink daschund sign, a disco ball, and even the front half of a car with flames painted onto its hood. _What world is _this? he thought.

Just then, the door to the room opened and three teenagers walked in, talking about why clowns should wear smaller shoes. There were two girls- one with black hair and a blonde- and a boy with brown hair. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Ventus. Everyone stared at each other.

"Carly?" said Freddie warily.

"Yeah?" answered Carly, too aware of Ven's presence.

"Do you know this guy?"

"No…" she faced Ven. "Who are you? And how did you get into my apartment?"

"My name is Ventus. Ven for short," he replied.

"Maybe we should call Spencer," Freddie whispered to them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sam intervened, stepping towards Ven. "A cute guy shows up in your apartment, and the first thing you're gonna do is kick him out?" she asked her friends- mostly Carly- incredulously.

"Sam, he could be a robber!" Freddie warned. "And he's not that cute," he mumbled under his breath.

Sam playfully punched Ven on the shoulder. "You're not a robber, are you?"

"Um, no. I was just looking for someone. Black spiky hair, yellow eyes, Spiderman-looking suit?" Ven asked hopefully.

"Nope." "Nuh-uh." "Haven't seen him."

"Oh…" said Ven, a little disappointed. Then again, he also had his friends and the hooded stranger to look for. _Maybe I'll find them here._

"So, how you'd get in here?" Carly asked.

"I came in from that thing." Ven pointed to the elevator.

Carly thought for a moment. "Well, if Lewbert let you up here, then I guess it's okay."

"Yeah, maybe he's here to see Spencer." Sam put her arm around Ven's shoulders. He didn't mind, though her punch had hurt a little. "C'mon, let's go and ask him."

"But what about the iCarly rehearsal?" Freddie asked.

"Aw, calm your nerd nerves," Sam told him. Freddie rolled his eyes.

They walked downstairs and saw Carly's older brother, Spencer, in the kitchen making spaghetti tacos. "Hey Spence, you know this guy?" Sam asked, taking a meatball from the table and plopping it in her mouth.

Spencer glanced at Ven. "Nope. But he does look familiar…does he go to school with you guys?"

"I'm home-schooled," Ven said quickly. He gestured to the mess Spencer had created. "What are you making?"

"Spaghetti tacos. It's the most awesomest food ever! Hey Carls, can you pass me the oven timer?" he asked his sister, putting on an oven mitt.

Carly picked up the timer and passed it to Spencer. "We're heading to Groovie Smoothie when Gibby comes over. Wanna come, Ven?"

"Sure." Since Ven didn't know his way around, he figured it wouldn't hurt to stay with them until he found his friends. Besides, he'd never been on his own before. Until today, Terra and Aqua had always been by his side. And now they were gone because of him.

"Why won't this timer work?" Spencer said, irritated and messing with the dial. Flames suddenly leaped out from the timer as it went off. "Whoa!"

"I'll get the fire extinguisher," Carly said calmly, walking to the extinguisher. Sam and Freddie looked on as if this kind of thing happened on a daily basis.

As soon as the fire was put out, the door opened and a stocky boy with brown hair walked in.

"GIBEEEHHH!"

"Hey Gib," everyone except Ventus said, since he didn't know who he was.

"Hey, do you guys know about the new- Oh my god!" Gibby excitedly walked over to Ventus. "I don't believe it! You're cosplaying as Roxas! Even though you've got the outfit wrong…" he observed.

"Um, I don't know anyone named Roxas. I'm Ventus," Ven said as Gibby probed his hair. Gibby suddenly started squealing like a fangirl. "Oh my god, it really _is _you! I'd know that voice anywhere!"

"He sounds kinda like Jesse McCartney," said Freddie. Carly and Sam nodded in agreement.

"He's from the videogame series _Kingdom Hearts,_" Gibby explained as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. (Which it kinda was, though not to everyone in the iCarly universe it seemed.)

Ven stiffened. _He knows about Kingdom Hearts?_

"Oh, you mean that roleplaying game with all those Disney characters in it?" Spencer asked. The iCarly gang laughed.

"It's not just about the Disney characters! There's a complex story about friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil," Gibby insisted. "Speaking of friends, where's Axel and Xion?"

"I still don't know what you're talking about," Ven told him plainly.

"Give it a rest, Gib," Freddie said.

"Yeah, quit bothering the boy so we can get our smoothie on!" agreed Sam.

"Wait, I know how I can prove it to you guys! Roxas, show them your Keyblade."

Ven panicked. Master Eraqus would want him to keep his powers secret in other worlds. But he did mention Kingdom Hearts…What else did he know?

Sam grabbed Gibby's arm and pulled him through the door impatiently. Freddie and Ventus followed.

"Don't set the house on fire again!" Carly shouted to her brother.

"I didn't know those gummy bears were flammable!" Spencer called after her.

~ o ~

When the gang entered the Groovie Smoothie, T-Bo was standing by a table trying to sell pickles on a stick to his customers. "I tell you what, I'll give you this _whole _stick for two dollars," he bargained to an unwilling lady.

"I'll take it," Sam offered. He gave her the stick.

"Where's the money?" T-Bo asked.

"I didn't say I'd pay for it," Sam replied, heading for the counter.

"Man, why you gotta-Oh my smashed potatoes!" T-Bo said, finally seeing Ventus. "You look like Roxas!"

"He doesn't just look like Roxas, he _is _Roxas," Gibby insisted.

"He's just a regular boy, Gib." Freddie said. "Videogame characters can't come to life."

"Oh yeah?" Gibby challenged. "What about that guy that Spencer saw from the planet Nug-Nug in Galaxy Wars?" Freddie sighed, giving up.

They all walked to the counter. Ventus looked around at the customers, searching for anyone he knew. No such luck.

"How about I give you a Sea Salt Smoothie, on the house?" T-Bo asked Ven. "I know how much you love that flavor."

_I do? _"Um, sure," Ventus agreed.

T- Bo kept talking as he made their smoothies. "You, Axel, and Xion used to eat ice cream together all the time. It's too bad you kill Xion in the end, though."

Gibby's eyes went wide. "Wait, she _dies_?!" he exclaimed, shocked. Carly, Sam, Freddie, and Ventus looked on, wondering what the heck they were talking about.

"Where have you been, man? That game's been out for months. Didn't you beat it already? Anyway, Roxas here loses his memory, so he won't remember them." T-Bo handed them their smoothies. Ventus took a sip of his. It was salty, but also sweet. He definitely liked it and continued to drink it happily.

"Man you've had it rough," said Gibby as they strode to a table.

"Mm-hm," Ven said absently, looking for Terra and Aqua. What world were they in now? Had Vanitas (no way was Ven calling him his "worst nightmare") caught up to them already?

Freddie started talking about something called iCarly. After a few minutes, the hairs on the back of Ven's neck stood up. He looked towards the door where the late-afternoon sun shone brightly. There, standing in a black coat, was the man who had taken away his Master's powers and started this whole mess. His mask was concealed by his hood. He seemed to be looking directly at Ventus.

Ven stood up quickly. "Thanks for everything guys, but I've gotta run."

"Wait," Carly said. "Will we see you around?"

"Probably not," Ven admitted. "But I'll try to visit sometime." He smiled.

"Have a nice life," Sam said, sipping on her smoothie.

"Good luck finding your friend," Freddie added.

"Oh about that…He's not actually my friend. More like an enemy. So if you see him you should-"

"Beat him up?" Sam offered eagerly.

"Uh, I was thinking more along the lines of 'don't get too close to him.' He's pretty dangerous," Ven warned.

"Huh. Nothing a butter sock can't handle, I'm sure," she said toughly.

Ventus glanced at the door again. The hooded stranger was now walking away. Ven headed outside.

"Say hi to the Organization for me!" Gibby called after him.

~ o ~

The blonde followed the hooded stranger into an alley with a brick wall in the back creating a dead end. The man stopped walking and turned around.

"Show yourself!" Ven commanded, summoning his Keyblade.

The man removed his hood to reveal a mask with white designs and a red dot in the middle of the forehead area.

"Who- Who _are _you?" the boy asked. "And what do you have against me, my friends, and the Masters?"

The stranger's mask didn't move as he spoke. "My name is Amon. My goal is to rid the world of bending, so that non-benders will not be ridiculed and stepped on any longer."

"What _is _bending, exactly?"

"You already know what it is, though you seem to harness a different form of it." He held out his hand with his palm facing the ground. "Let me show you an example."

_Oh no, he's going to put me to sleep again. Or maybe take away my magic?" _Ven thought. But what actually happened was way worse. It was something he had never experienced before.

Ven's body seized. "Wha-" he tried to say before involuntarily dropping his Keyblade. The hand that he was holding it with twisted behind his back and he fell onto his knees. He strained to move, but he had no power over his actions. Amon was controlling him somehow.

"Ugh!" Ventus tried to stand to no avail. He couldn't beat the force overtaking him. His gaze was locked on the ground, and he was able to see the swish of his tormentor's black cape approaching. Amon made Ven's head jerk up.

"You and your companions seem to underestimate me. Do you understand the power I am capable of now?"

Ven tried to glare at Amon's mask and refused to answer. Amon continued. "I'm sure Xehanort would be most pleased. He asked me to lure you away from your home in exchange for the favor he did for me, and I did."

_He knows Xehanort?! But isn't that Master Eraqus' friend? Then why is he working with Amon? Are they all working with Vanitas, too? _Ven couldn't make any sense of his thoughts.

"Tell your other bender friends I will let them be, as long as they don't get in my way. Enjoy your flight."

Ventus was confused. "Fli-?!"

Amon jerked his head up suddenly. The young Keyblade wielder quickly rose into the air, blinking back tears as the wind rushed past his face. He was flying straight up, still not able to control his body. Ven passed the roofs of most of the apartments and buildings surrounding the alley before he felt himself free-falling head first at an alarming speed. He panicked as the ground started rushing towards him. He watched it get closer with fear in his eyes.

_If Terra and Aqua were here-no, if they hadn't ditched me-maybe they could've helped me._

This thought made Ven realize he could move again. _Well, I guess I'll just have to help myself, _he thought determinedly, hurriedly pressing his armor button. It wouldn't ensure his life at this altitude, but at least it would partially lessen the blow. He was quickly approaching the height of a nearby building. If he didn't stop himself soon…

He spotted his Keyblade glinting in the sunlight. He stuck his hand out, willing it to come towards him. It didn't disappear. _C'mon…C'MON!_

He was falling past windows now. Ven crossed his arms over his chest, bracing himself however he could for the impact. Then he suddenly felt the familiar metal appear in his glove. He threw the Keyblade back into the air with all the force he could summon upside down. It turned into a Glider and came towards him. He landed on it shakily just as its bottom scraped the ground. Ven noticed that Amon had left the alley and figured that he was most likely in a completely different world by now. He sharply tilted his Glider upwards, glad that no one was outside and that he had made it out of that situation alive.

Ven started to feel a growing resentment towards Terra and Aqua. If they were there, they could have all taken down Amon together. They were his friends, but if they had darkness within them, he wouldn't just leave them to fend for themselves. He'd stick by them no matter what.

The Glider sped on, leading Ven to the next world.

~ o ~

The iCarly gang was back at the Shay apartment, watching TV. Everyone was munching on the pickles Sam had taken from T-Bo earlier. After an episode of _Celebrities Underwater_ ended,a very special commercial came on.

The Square Enix logo appeared on the screen. Utada Hikaru's _"Simple and Clean" _started playing as the scene switched to three friends on a mountain watching a falling star.

Gibby shot up from the couch, realizing that the commercial had to be about his favorite videogame. "Oh my God! Everyone shut up! SHHHH!"

Freddie spoke as cutscenes of Ven's gameplay came on. "Gib, you're the only one-"

"SHHHH! Have you no respect?!" Everyone watched Gibby for a second and then turned back to the TV, losing interest in him. Aqua and Terra's cutscenes came on next.

_"The saga starts here," _the game announcer said. More scenes of the trio followed and then the Kingdom Hearts logo appeared. _"Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep." _At the bottom of the screen were the words AVAILABLE NOW. The commercial ended and the theme song for a reality show started playing.

Carly broke the silence first. "So that boy…he really was from a videogame."

"Wow. Sorry we didn't believe you Gibby. It's just so surreal," Freddie added.

"Does anyone have fried chicken?" Sam asked out of nowhere.

Gibby almost recovered from his shock and started addressing questions to no one in particular. "Oh my God…A new Kingdom Hearts game with Roxas in it! And who was that brown-haired guy and that blue-haired chick he was hanging out with? Where's Axel? So many plot mysteries! I must buy that game _now_!" Gibby rushed out the door. Everyone calmly watched him leave and then turned back to the screen after losing interest.

After a few seconds, Gibby peeked his head through the doorframe and added something before taking off again. "Right after I buy a PSP."

* * *

**Oh Gibby. Who would've thought he loved Kingdom Hearts so much? And T-Bo too? ^.^**

**Imagine Vanitas getting whooped with a butter sock…That would make my day. XD**

**I tried to incorporate some recurring stuff from the show to make up for the lack of a web show. I don't think I'm that good at writing comedy yet.**

**The trailer for BBS at the ending was based on one I found on Youtube. (I put in Gibby's last remark because a lot of people had to buy PSPs just to play BBS since it wasn't made for PS2). Also, if you still do not have BBS I HIGHLY recommend getting it. It's not a waste of time, I promise. But if you can't, at least watch the cutscenes on Youtube. You'll learn a lot.**

**I also recommend KH:DDD too. I was mind-blown after playing it. (And it also kinda delayed this chapter a little ^.^)**

**The next chapter SHOULD focus on Aqua and Terra but in all honesty I'm having major writer's block with it. I know which world I'm gonna use but I might have to change it or just skip the whole chapter (and maybe add it in later as an extra if I succeed in writing it). In other words, the wait for the next one may be long. No matter how many times I get stuck with the plot I won't discontinue this story because I have some huge plans for it. **

**Including the next chapter (which may or may not go as planned) there are 4 more Nick worlds and 1 more KH world to go. I may add a bonus chapter with another Nick world at the end of the story if I feel up to it. I think you guys would like it :) **

**Since this story is about halfway done (I'm estimating here; there's still a lot more to come), I just wanted to thank all my reviewers, followers, favorit-ers, and those who just read and silently supported me. Thanks!**

**If you want to leave your guess for the next world in a review, go right ahead! Though it won't be any new shows-like Sam & Cat for example-since I don't know them that well.**

**Til next time!**

**~IJustDrownedUrGoldfish**


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